Ammunition link



Aug. 2, 1960 A. G. BILEK ETAL AMMUNITION LINK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1957 k w v a mu m v T5 N a m 2 mm M AMMUNITION LINK Andrew G Bilek and Elvyn G. Roser, Okaloosa County,

Fla., assrgnors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Aug. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 676,448

3 Claims. (Cl. 89-35) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to ammunition links which connect together to form an ammunition belt. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved ammunition link designed to envelop and protect one round of ammunition during its movement from its storage container to the gun from which it is to be fired.

One of the most serious problems encountered in providing a rapid firing gun with ammunition is to include a belt which will convey the ammunition rapidly andsmoothly without jamming or damaging it during the movement. While the ammunition is in the magazine, it is reasonably safe from damage but when it leaves the magazine and enters the chute, which is interposed between the magazine and the gun, considerable damage can be done, especially to the base and nose portions of the ammunition. The present invention serves to protect the ammunition from damage by providing protective end rails which serve as guides while the ammunition is traveling through the chute. These guide rails contribute to the structural rigidity of the link as well as performing other useful functions. The links which make up the belt are separable after each of the rounds of ammunition has nited States atent in structure with easily produced parts which can be economically mass produced and fabricated.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent after considering the following de-' tailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views: 1

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the assembled ammuniopen body member 13 formed of resilient material and divided into three cartridge gripping portions; The forthe link with the cartridge in position and to reduce the hook member 21 is pivotally attached to one side of the been extracted from its position in each link by the gunstripping mechanism prior to chambering and firing. Thus, the connected links make up a belt which is of the so-called self-disintegrating type.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved ammunition link which, when loaded and connected to other identical links, forms an ammunition belt of self-disintegrating type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ammunition link which envelops the cartridges in such a manner that damage during the transfer cycle from the magazine to the gun is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to include in an ammunition link a means for reducing frictional forces created by movement of ammunition belt in the chute by providing a small area of contact between the chute and the belt.

A still further object of the invention is to provide links which can be quickly and easily interlocked to provide a continuous interlocking belt which is capable of self-dis integration after extraction of the inserted cartridges.

Other important features of the ammunition link described herein include means for substantially completely enveloping the ammunition thereby eliminating the possibility of loosenin of the ammunition in its link which would ordinarily result in jamming of the gun during rapidfiring. Also, particular attention has been paid to insure smooth flow of ammunition during the transfer cycle by balancing and propelling the combined link and cartridge at its longitudinal center of gravity. The link is simple overall weight of the link. The center portion 19, besides serving to retain the cartridge case portion of the ammunition round, also serves to support the hook member 21 and the loop member 23 (shown in detail in Fig. 6). The

center portion 19 by means of a pin 25 inserted through holes 27 disposed in the lug 29 which is shaped by outwardly deforming the resilient material from which the body is formed. The hook member 21 is so arranged that the insertion of a round of ammunition in the link body 13 causes said hook memberto rotate inwardly toward the body thereby closing the hook member 21 and preventing the previously inserted loop member 23 of the adjacent link from releasing itself until the cartridge is removed from the body. a 1 p The rearward portion 31 of the link 13 is reduced in height in order to eliminate excess weight since the remaining portions of the link sufficiently retain the inserted ammunition during the conveying process.

Both the forward and rearward ends of the link 13 are provided with the guide rails 32 and 33 which engage with a channel inthe chuting and serve to guide the link after it leaves its place inthe magazine until it reaches the gun. Since the area of contact with the ammunition chuting is small, the frictional losses are reduced to a minimum, thus allowing smooth and rapid feeding with a minimum of load on the gun feeding mechanism. Also, since the ammunition itself does .not contact the chuting, any danger of premature firing or damage to the cartridge is eliminated.

. A channel 35 is provided at the base of the link body to impart longitudinal rigidity to the structure and included in said channel are the detents 37. and 39 (shown in Fig. 2 formed from the resilient material of the body and serving to add to the retaining power of the .link.

In the top view of the link depicted in Fig. 2 with the hook member omitted, ,the loop member 23 is clearly shown. The rails 32 and 33, are preferably attached to the link body by spot welding at the points 32 and33'.

The forward and rearward end views shown in Figs. 3 and 4 depict the link in end elevation showing, particularly, the shape of the link at each end. It will be noted that the guide rails'32 and 33 are not shown and the view is of the end of the link only. Thus, in Fig. 3, the forward end of the link having the channel 35 is Patented Aug. 2., 1950 shown and includes the tab members 41 formed from the link body and shown in position preparatory to the attachment by welding of the guide rails.

In Fig. 4, a similar view of the rearward end elevation is included to show the reduced height with consequent weight reduction. Also shown in this view is the detent 39 which engages the extractor groove of the cartridge and prevents forward movement thereof. The tabs 43 serve to allow welding of the rail 32 to the link body, said tabs also providing added rigidity after the rails are attached thereto.

The links are engageable with each other by the hook and loop members attached to the center portion 19. The loop member 23 shown in detail in Fig. 5 is shaped by deforming a length of rod material by flattening the ends of said rod until it is substantially the same thickness as the wall material of the link. The link body is prepared to receive the loop member by providing an opening sulficiently large to allow insertion of the loop through the wall and by providing an offset portion to receive the previously flattened part of the rod after it has been bent outward. This allows positive attachment of the loop 23 by welding at point 23' and yet the inner contour of the link is not interrupted by any projecting portions. Fig. 5 shows the loop 23 with one leg attached and the other leg ready to be bent into place for welding.

The hook member 21 shown in Fig. 6 is formed from a single piece of material shaped in the form of a hook and provided with tab portions 22. Said tab portions are provided with openings 24 adapted to receive the pin 25 which allows the pivotable movement of the hook member. Means are provided for locking the hook in position after the cartridge has been inserted into place. This is accomplished by attaching the hook in such a manner that when the cartridge is inserted it contacts the lower portion of the hook which is held in the closed position with the loop of the adjacent link therein and prevents the hook from pivoting to the open position as long as the cartridge remains in the link. When the cartridge is removed after reaching the gun, the hook is automatically released and allowed to pivot to open position, thus releasing the hook and allowing self-disintegration of the belt.

Shown in Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of links taken along the line VII--.-VII of Fig. 1 with the cartridges inserted into place. It will be noted that the cartridge case 45 rests against the hook member 21 preventing release of the loop member 23 while the link and cartridge combination is in transit to the gun. The pulling force acting on the links as a result of the gun feeding mechanism is exerted through the longitudinal center of gravity of the link, thus minimizing any twisting or offset forces on the link or belt.

The links are assembled into belt form by first pivoting hook member 21 outwardly and away from the link body. The loop member 23 is then inserted between the link body and the hook until it rests adjacent to the curved portion of the hook. Next the cartridge is inserted into position in the link at the same time pivoting the hook to the closed position. When the cartridge is completely inserted and bottoms itself in the link the hook is then locked in the closed position with the loop in place. The detents 37 and 39 rest against the cartridge and further serve to hold the cartridge tightly and insure against relative motion between the link body and the cartridge. The resiliency of the link body prevents the cartridge from separating itself from the link body until the ejecting mechanism of the gun has acted on the cartridge and removed it from the link body by the camming action of the gun stripping mechanism. In this particular type of cartridge extractor the enclosed round is cammed upward and out of the link. When this happens the hook member 21 is free to pivot to the open position and the loop is then free to release itself, thereby allowing the separation of the adjacent links from each other. This produces the feature of self-disintegration even though the links of the belt are positively attached together during transit from the magazine to the gun.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to one embodiment thereof, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention. We intend, therefore, to be limited only by the full scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An ammunition carrying link arranged to be combined with other similar links to form a self-disintegrating type ammunition belt, each of said ammunition carrying links comprising a semi-cylindrical body portion adapted to substantially envelop and retain a generally cylindrical round of ammunition therein, said body portion formed of material adapted to resiliently grip said ammunition, means for combining said links, said means including a self-locking hooksshaped member, a pin member passing through said hook-shaped member and said body portion for pivotally attaching said hook-shaped member to one wall of said body portion, an engageable loop member outwardly projecting from the opposite wall of said body portion, said hook-shaped member engaging the loop member of an adjacent link and dimensioned such that the contact of inserted ammunition with the lower portion of said hook-shaped member urges said hook-shaped member to pivot inwardly, thereby locking said engaged loop within said hook-shaped member and preventing release of said loop member and attached adjacent link until said inserted ammunition has been stripped therefrom.

2. An ammunition carrying link arranged to be combined with other similar links to form a self-disintegrated type ammunition carrying belt, each of said links comprising a semi-cylindrical body portion adapted to substantially envelop and retain a generally cylindrical round of ammunition therein, means for retaining said ammunition in said links including wall portions formed from resilient material dimensioned to grip and substantially surround said ammunition, said links provided with connecting members disposed on said wall portions including pivotable hook-shaped members and cooperating loop members, each of said hook-shaped members being attached to said wall portions by corresponding pin members, means for preventing endwise movement of ammunition within said links including a plurality of detent portions on said links for engaging said ammunition, one of said detent portions engaging the extracting groove of said inserted ammunition, and guide rails disposed on the ends of said body portion, said guide rails being attached to said wall portions across substantially the diametrical center of the semi-cylindrical body portion, thereby preventing premature firing and damage to said inserted ammunition by shielding the primer and nose ends thereof during transit through a cooperating ammunition chuting mechanism.

3. An ammunition carrying link arranged to be combined with other similar links to form a self-disintegrating type ammunition belt, each of said links comprising a semi-cylindrical body portion adapted to substantially envelop and retain a generally cylindrical round of ammunition therein, upstanding wall portions so dimensioned that the inserted ammunition is resiliently gripped in said link, hook and loop members oppositely disposed on said wall portion for combining said link with other similar links, said hook member being pivotably attached to said wall portion by a pin member and cooperating with the engageable loop member of the adjacentlink, and means for preventing premature separation of said links, said means including a contoured portion of said 5 pivotable hook member dimensioned to contact the surface of said inserted ammunition, thereby preventing said hook member from rotating to the open position and releasing the engaged loop member until said inserted ammunition has been stripped from said link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,812 Faulkner et a1 Nov. 26, 1940 6 Elder July 5, 1949 Gilligan Feb. 7, 1956 Linke Aug. 20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 20, 1939 Germany Mar. 29, 1941 Germany Feb. 26, 1942 

